CONSTRUCTION OF AN ACHIEVEMENT TEST

 

Achievement Test

• Any test designed to assess the achievement in any subject with regard to a set of predetermined objectives
  

Major steps involved in the construction of achievement test

• Planning of test
  
• Preparation of a design for the test
  
• Preparation of the blue print
  
• Writing of items
  
• Preparation of the scoring key and marking scheme
  
• Preparation of question-wise analysis
  

1. Planning of test

• Objective of the Test
  
• Determine the maximum time and maximum marks
  

2. Preparation of a design for the test

• Important factors to be considered in design for the test are:
  
  • Weightage to objectives
    
  • Weightage to content
    
  • Weightage to form of questions
    
  • Weightage to difficulty level.
    

Weightage to objectives

• This indicates what objectives are to be tested and what weightage has to be given to each objectives.
  

Sl.No	Objectives	Marks	Percentage
1	Knowledge	3	12
2	Understanding	2	8
3	Application	6	24
4	Analysis	8	32
5	Synthesis	4	16
6	Evaluation	2	8
Total		25	100

Weightage to content

• This indicates the various aspects of the content to be tested and the weightage to be given to these different aspects.
  

Sl.No	Content	Marks	Percentage
1	Sub topic - 1	15	60
2	Sub topic - 2	10	40
Total		25	100

 

Weightage to form of questions

• This indicates the form of the questions to be included in the test and the weightage to be given for each form of questions.
  

Sl.No	Form of questions	No. of Questions	Marks	Percentage
1	Objective type	14	7	28
2	Short answer type	7	14	56
3	Essay type	1	4	16
Total		22	25	100

Weightage to difficulty level

• This indicates the total mark and weightage to be given to different level of questions.
  

Sl.No	Form of questions	Marks	Percentage
1	Easy	5	20
2	Average	15	60
3	Difficult	5	20
Total		25	100

3. Preparation of the blue print

• Blue print is a three-dimensional chart giving the placement of the objectives, content and form of questions.
  

Objectives Form of Qtn Content	Knowledge			Under-standing			Application			Analysis			Synthesis			Evaluation			Grant Total
	O	SA	E	O	SA	E	O	SE	E	O	SA	E	O	SA	E	O	SA	E
Sub Topic- 1	2 (4)			1 (2)			2 (4)	2 (1)				4 (1)		2 (1)			2 (1)		15
Sub Topic – 2	1 (2)			1 (2)				2 (1)			4 (2)			2 (1)					10
Total Marks	3	0	0	2	0	0	2	4	0	0	4	4	0	4	0	0	2	0	25
Grand Total	3			2			6			8			4			2

Note: O – Objective Type, SA – Short Answer Type, E – Essay Type

The number outside the bracket indicates the marks and those inside

indicates the number of questions.

4. Writing of items

• The paper setter write items according to the blue print.
  
• The difficulty level has to be considered while writing the items.
  
• It should also checked whether all the questions included can be answered within the time allotted.
  
• It is advisable to arrange the questions in the order of their difficulty level.
  

  
   

  GOVT. GIRL'S HIGHER SECONDARY SCHOOL, MALAPPURAM
  

  ACHIEVEMENT TEST
  

  Std: IX                            Time : 45 Mts.
  

  Div. : D         MATHEMATICS
          Max. Marks: 25
  

      
  

  
   

  Instruction
  

  
   

  Q. 1.
  

  Q. 2.
  

  Q. 3.
  

  Q. 4.
  

  
   

 

 

5. Preparation of the scoring key and marking scheme

• In the case of objective type items where the answers are in the form of some letters or other symbol a scoring key is prepared.
  
• 
  

Scoring Key

Q.No	Answer	Marks
1	A	½
2	C	½
3	A	½
4	D	½
5	B	½

 

• In the case of short answer and essay type questions, the marking scheme is prepared.
  
• In preparing marking scheme the examiner has to list out the value points to be credited and fix up the mark to be given to each value point.
  

 

Marking Scheme

Q.No	Value points	Marks	Total Marks
1	Value Point – 1 Value point – 2 Value point – 3 Value point – 4	½ ½ ½ ½	2
2	Value Point – 1 Value point – 2 Value point – 3 Value point – 4	½ ½ ½ ½	2

 

6. Preparation of Question-wise Analysis

Question-wise Analysis

Q.No	Content	Objectives	Form of Questions	Difficulty Level	Marks	Estimated Time ( In Mts.)
1	Sub topic – 1	Knowledge	Objective Type	Easy	½	1
2	Sub Topic – 2	Understanding	Objective Type	Average	½	1
3	Sub Topic – 2	Application	Objective Type	Easy	½	1
4	Sub Topic – 1	Knowledge	Objective Type	Easy	½	1
5	Sub Topic – 2	Understanding	Objective type	Average	½	1
5	Sub Topic – 1	Analysis	Short answer	Average	2	3
6	Sub Topic – 1	Synthesis	Short Answer	Difficult	2	3
7	Sub topic – 2	Application	Short answer	Easy	2	3
8	Subtopic – 1	Analysis	Essay	Average	4	10

 

TYPE OF TEST ITEMS

• Objective type
  
• Short answer type
  
• Essay Type
  

1. OBJECTIVE TYPE

• An objective type of test item is one which the response will be objective.
  
• Objective type test item broadly classified into two:
  
  • Supply type ( Recall Type)
    
    • The respondent have to supply the responses.
      
  • Selection type ( Recognition Type)
    
    • The respondent have to select the responses from among the given responses.
      

      
       

Objective Type – 4 Type

 

1. True – False Items (Alternate Response Type
   
   1. Multiple Choice Items
      
   2. Matching Type Items
      
   3. Completion Type Test Items
      

      
       

Advantages of Objective Type Items

• A large amount of study material can be tested in a very short period time
  
• Economy of time.
  
• Objectivity of scoring.
  
• No bluffing
  
• It reduces the subjective element of the examiner to the minimum.
  
• If carefully planned, it can measure the higher mental process of understanding, application, analysis, prediction and interpretation.
  

Limitations of Objective type items

• Difficulty in preparing good items.
  
• Problem of guessing.
  
• Problem of cheating.
  
• Inefficiency in testing complicated skills
  
• High printing cost.
  
• Emphasis on testing superficial knowledge.
  

2. Short answer type

• A question requiring three value points at most may be defined as a short answer question.
  
• Value points diminish the subjectivity.
  
• Help in ensuring wide coverage of content.
  

Advantages of Short answer Type Items

• Large portion of the content can be covered in a test.
  
• No opportunity for guessing.
  
• Easy to construct, because it measures a relatively simple outcomes.
  
• It can be made quit objective by carefully fixing the value points.
  
• Useful in evaluating the ability to interpret diagrams, charts, graphs, etc.
  
• If carefully prepared, deep level objectives understanding, application and problem solving skill can be evaluated.
  

Limitations of Short answer Type Items

• It is more subjective than the objective type of items.
  
• It may encourage student to memories fact and develop poor study habits.
  
• Mechanical scoring is not possible
  

3. Essay type

• It is free response test item.
  
• Help in ensuring a wide coverage of content and variety of objectives.
  
• Help in evaluating complex skills.
  

Advantages Essay Type Items

• Easy to prepare.
  
• Useful in measuring certain abilities and skills.
  
• Permit the examinee to write down comprehensively what he knows about something.
  
• Promote originality and creative thinking.
  
• Possibility of guess work can be eliminated.
  
• Reduce chance on the spot copying.
  
• Low printing cost.
  

Limitations of Essay Type Items

• Minimum validity.
  
• Lack of reliability.
  
• No objectivity.
  
• Rote memory is encouraged.
  
• It is a time consuming test item.